JUPITER, Fla. -- Mike Shildt is a busy man.

The second-year Cardinals manager oversaw Thursday afternoon’s 7-7 tie with the Mets at Roger Dean Stadium and then hopped on a bus to West Palm Beach, Fla., to face the Nationals for the second half of the Cardinals’ split-squad Thursday.

Oh, and he’s getting married on Friday.

“I’m a pretty present guy,” Shildt said. “I know where I’m going tomorrow. And I know where I’m going today. And it’ll serve me well. Show up and be present and enjoy the opportunities of both.”

Shildt, 51, started dating Michelle Segrave about a year ago. Since then, it’s been a whirlwind year for him. In his first full season as manager, Shildt led the Cardinals to a National League Central title and to the NL Championship Series. Then he became the first Manager of the Year winner who never played professional baseball.

In December, he proposed to Segrave.

He’s been calm through it all, especially this spring, as he manages a clubhouse of 70 players, prepares for the upcoming season and helps plan a wedding. On Thursday, he focused on the 18 innings he was about to manage. Then he would finish his vows, which he said were in the final stages. And on Friday, he’ll focus on the wedding.

“Maybe he’s just getting married for attention,” starter Adam Wainwright joked. “He’s calm by nature. He’s a calming presence in the clubhouse also, and we feed off that.”

When figuring out a wedding date, Shildt and Segrave realized that Spring Training would be the perfect time and place to do it. With some of her family in the area and with him inviting some members of the Cardinals' organization, the two settled on the first off-day of the spring.

“You think, ‘Well OK, we’ll do it after the season,’” Shildt said. “Well, after the season, everybody wants to go home and see their families. She’s got family down here. The timing made a lot of sense, and thinking about planning it, which I’m not doing a whole lot of anyway, I don’t want to think about planning it during the season. It just made sense to do it [now].

“People say, ‘What about a honeymoon?’ Every day is a honeymoon. I love her.”

It will be a small wedding, and the players weren’t invited -- Shildt wanted to give them the full day off and not make them feel obligated to go to their manager’s wedding. But Shildt did invite the people in the organization with whom he has long-standing relationships, like his coaching staff and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak. Former Minor League field coordinator Mark DeJohn and one of Shildt’s lifelong friends from North Carolina, Marc Rosenbalm, are his best men. Family and friends will be at the game Thursday night before the big day Friday.

Sure, it’s no ordinary off-day. Shildt will trade his baseball uniform for a tuxedo and a lineup card for his vows. And on Saturday, he’ll be back in the dugout for the Cardinals' game against the Astros.

But make no mistake: He’s ready for it all.

“I’m excited,” Shildt said. “[It’s] about time. I’m 51 years old. Let’s go.”